X-Message-Number: 4486
From:  (Brian Wowk)
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
Subject: Re: neuropatients&uploaders
Date: 7 Jun 1995 23:59:40 GMT
Message-ID: <3r5ehc$>
References: <>

	Mr. Leitl, I am sorry to say that you are re-inventing the wheel.
Although research still continues, the basic procedures used by Alcor
and BioPreservation (CryoCare's contractor) for transporting and perfusing
cryonics patients have already been worked out by medical specialists
more than ten years ago.  For an overview of these very sophisticated
procedures, see the document "Cryopreservation Protocol for BioPreservation
Clients" in the CryoNet Reference Files of the cryonics archives at
http://www.c2.org/~kqb/cryonet.html

	The most serious problem with your approach is the suggestion
that patients be immediately decapitated after cardiac arrest!  This
is untenable for several reasons.  Leaving aside the practical/ethical/
legal problems, the ischemic insult would be too severe.  Ischemia *is*
an issue (even for uploaders) because several minutes of ischemia can
so damage blood vessels that cryoprotective perfusion becomes impossible.
In addition, any surgeon will tell you that completely transected blood
vessels are very difficult (often impossible) to cannulate.  You don't
want to remove the brain from the head either, as this subjects the
brain to *severe* trauma (take it from someone who has done it).

	The general approach used in state-of-the-art cryonics today 
is prompt CPR following cardiac arrest, and the establishment of
cardiopulmonary bypass (blood pump oxygenator support) by femoral
access.  Once on bypass, patients can be cooled much more rapidly
by a heat exchanger and blood pump than by any external cooling
(rates faster than 1'C per minute are typical).  Only once the 
temperature is low enough for oxygen to no longer be needed is
the blood replaced with an organ preservation solution as you
suggest.  The patient's *whole body* is then shipped to a cryonics
facility for cryoprotective perfusion (far too complex to be
done in the field).  Thoracic surgery is performed to gain access
to the aorta.  Cryoprotective perfusion (even for neuropatients)
is performed through the cannulated aorta, as this is the best way to
ensure that the carotids and vertebrals are well-perfused.
Cephalic isolation for neuropatients is only performed after
cryoproective perfusion is complete.

Brian Wowk
President,
CryoCare Foundation  


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